WHAT'S HAPPENING THIS WEEK

HIGHLIGHTED EVENTS FOR WEEK OF AUGUST 2

Check here often for highlights of our weekly branch events. (Please give this page a few moments to load.) For complete listing of events, scroll down to blue link.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 4

CARL WINTER: THE KALIMBA KING
Golden Gate Valley Meeting Room
1801 Green Street (near Octavia) Event Time: 2:00 -2:45 p.m.
Experience the music of the kalimba, also known as the "African thumb piano", With Carl Winter, Kalimba master. Ages 5 and older.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5

MARINE MAMMAL CENTER
Excelsior Branch Meeting Room 4400 Mission Street (at Cotter) Time: 2-3:00 p.m.
Interactive and informational program from the Marine Mammal Center. Open to children of all ages. A green stacks program.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 8--LAST DAY OF SUMMER READING!

HEATHER ROGERS: MAGICIAN West Portal Branch
190 Lennox Way (at Ulloa) Event Time: 11:00-11:30 a.m.

Heather Rogers performs a show with magic, comedy, juggling and lots of audience participation. There will be a free magic trick for every child who attends. Children of all ages

Click Here To See More Children's Events

CRAFT OF THE WEEK

Recycled Craft #6: Snail's Pace

This little guy is easy to make with scraps of wrapping paper, tissue paper or old magazines. You can use old twisty ties for the antennae.
Follow this link for instructions!

Thanks to "No Time for Flashcards" for their inspiration.


Recycled Craft #5: Parajito Cantas Tu


You can hang these birds in your window or in a big recycled paper tree like we have in the Mission Branch!

1. Cut two pieces of recycled paper, one small and one large. The small piece measures 8 1/2 x 3 3/4. The larger piece measures. 10 1/2 x6 1/2. You can mix types of paper for fun effects.
2. Cut the bird's body out of an old postcard or announcement. Cut two slots, one in front and one in back.
3. Accordian-style fold the two pieces of paper.
4. Insert the larger folded piece in front slot, and the small folded piece in back slot. Fan out folded pieces to create the wings and tail. You might want to tape the fanned edges together to hold them in place.
5. Draw or stick on a googlie eye. Hang up with a piece of colorful yarn.
See pictures below for example demonstration.

Recycled Craft #4
Louise Ehlert Robin*

Supplies Needed:Construction Paper/ Textured Paper, Cardboard, White Glue, Glue Stick, Scissors, Pencil Hole Punch (optional), Paint

Follow this link for instructions!

*Thanks to http://www.artsmarts4kids.com/

Recycled Craft #3 Paper Butterflies

Make lots of these and decorate your room!

1. Each butterfly will need a large square and a smaller square of paper. Try using old magazines, newspapers and left over colored papers. You can mix types of paper for fun effects.
2. Make designs on the paper or choose used printed paper that looks intersting to you.
3. Starting at the tip, fold a large and a small sheet accordion-style.
4. Pinch the two together in the middle and hold in place with either a twisty tie or pipecleaner.
5. Gently pull apart the folds to reveal your butterfly! You might also want to trim the edges to shape the wings a bit.





















Recycled Craft #2
Now you know what to do with your old CD & DVD cases!
1. Cut sheets of paper measuring 9 3/4 x 4 3/4. You can mix types of paper for fun effects.
2. Tape 3-4 sheets end to end to create a long strip.
3. Fold the first sheet in half and continue folding the rest of the strip accordion-style.
4. Decorate your pages with drawings, collages, write poems, hide secret messages or whatever suits your fancy!
5.Tuck your finished accordion book into an old CD case & don't forget to make a cool back cover!






















Recycled Craft #1
Here's a simple way to make paper beads from recycled paper, follow the pictures below!

WHAT ARE YOU READING!?

Here's where you can share with other kids what you're reading this summer. We'll post what we're reading too (see below). If you try any of ours, write back and let us know what you thought. Thanks!--Children's Librarian Staff
Go to comments.


The Magic Thief by Sarah Phrineas
Young Conn opens the first volume of this new trilogy, noting "A thief is a lot like a wizard." The story takes off when Conn picks the pocket of the wizard Nevery, who is startled that the stolen magical stone didn't kill the boy. Nevery takes on Conn as a servant, but the boy's inquisitiveness and talents move him to apprentice status--Laura



The Big Bad Wolf and me by Delphine Perret When the Big Bad Wolf is mistaken for a dog, he comes to live in a boy's closet and eat chocolate chip cookies. This book is hilarious! The illustrations are wry little line drawings that are pitch perfect. --Valerie

The Calder Game by Blue Balliett Fans of Chasing Vermeer and The Wright 3 will be happy about this new Balliett mystery. Calder, Petra, and Tommy, seventh-graders with a penchant for solving art mysteries, return in a new adventure that takes them across the sea. --Valerie

Me and My Bike by Ander
A boy in an unnamed Asian setting wishes for a new bicycle, but his family cannot afford one. He tries everything from magic wishes to riding double on a friend's bike, but finally reconciles himself to keeping his old clunker. He paints it a different color and feels as if he has a new bike. A unique and moving picture book. --Laura

THIS YEAR'S SUMMER READING PROGRAM

Read! For what it's worth,
You just might save Planet Earth! -- Monique

WHAT COULD BE BETTER? You read books and trees get planted! This summer we are teaming up with Friends of the Urban Forest to plant street trees in San Francisco. Kids completing their eight hour summer reading log will earn a grand prize AND credits to help purchase these trees.

YOUR LIBRARY IS THE PLACE TO VISIT ALL SUMMER LONG! Visit us often for weekly branch raffles and events including magicians, musicians, dancers, puppet shows, animal and plant programs and much more. Click on the What's Happening This Week button to find out more.

OH! and before we forget... If you read 16 hours you can enter into the SUPER RAFFLE. Winners will choose a FAMILY MEMBERSHIP TO A LOCAL MUSEUM a GIFT CERTIFICATE FOR A BIKE, or a MUSIC STORE (put toward musical instrument rental, lessons, instruments, gear, sheet music.).

Who can sign-up?
Kids ages birth to 13 sign up at their local branch or bookmobile and record the amount of time they spend reading or being read to by someone else.

Why:
It’s fun! We have thousands of new books AND you will be helping the environment.

Where:
Your local library (sign up at ONE location)

When:
Saturday, June 13th and ends on Saturday, August 8

How:
Read 15 minutes or more each week and visit your local library to enter the Weekly Branch Raffle (one ticket per kid per week).

Weekly raffle prizes at each branch include:
Green items, SF Giants Baseball, tickets to the Aquarium of the Bay, the Asian Art Museum, the California Academy of Sciences, the De Young Museum, and the Ripley’s Believe It Or Not Museum.

Read 8 hours to complete the program and win your choice of Grand Prizes, earn credits that will help to plant trees.

Grand Prize Choices include:
A book
A hand-powered flashlight
Tickets to the Bay Area Discovery Museum, Conservatory of Flowers, the Japanese Tea Garden, the Zeum, San Francisco Giants and the San Francisco Zoo

Kids who continue to read after they’ve earned the 8 hour Grand Prize can keep entering the Weekly Branch Raffle.

Kids who read 16 hours can enter into a raffle for the SUPER RAFFLE.
Winners will choose a family membership to a local museum, a gift certificate for a bike, or a gift certificate to a music store (put toward musical instrument rental, lessons, instruments, gear, sheet music).

COOL WEBSITES!

Sites for Younger Kids
Sites for Older Kids
W.O.W. (Website Of Week)
Do you have a great website we should know about!? Let us know by posting at the end of this list.Thanks! Click to post comments.

BETWEEN THE LIONS
http://pbskids.org/lions/
This early literacy site, for children ages 4-7, is a tie-in for the award-winning television program. Appealing characters, terrific songs and
GOODNIGHT STORIES
http://www.goodnightstories.com/
This is the place to come if you want to curl up with a good cyber book or just play a game.
LITTLE EXPLORERS
http://www.EnchantedLearning.com/Dictionary.html
Click on a letter of the alphabet and connect to, not one, but many, many pictures of works with that letter and hot links to Web sites about that word.
NICKELODEON JR
http://www.nickjr.com
From the people who bring you the Nickelodeon Channel, this site is created for younger children and has a variety of games, activities and fun.
PAULY'S PLAYHOUSE
http://www.paulysplayhouse.com
Games, sounds, and a gallery of cartoons mostly for very young Web- surfers with a high-speed Web connection. The site also includes links to shopping and travel sites for parents.
PLAYHOUSE DISNEY
http://disney.go.com/playhouse/today/index.html
Games, songs and activities feature characters from the Disney network.
SESAME STREET CENTRAL
http://www.sesameworkshop.org/sesamestreet/
The kids’ activities page with your friends from Sesame Street. Play games with Prairie Dawn, Elmo, and the Cookie Monster.
THE CRAYOLA HOME PAGE
http://www.crayola.com/index.cfm
Everything you always wanted to know about crayons.
THE WORLD OF VICTOR
http://www.theworldofvictor.net/
Have fun with Victor, a toddler on the move. There are lots of games and sounds to play with, including puzzles, music, coloring, and mixed-up animals. Available in English, Japanese, Spanish, and French.
THOMAS THE TANK ENGINE PAGE
http://www.hitentertainment.com/thomasandfriends/official_thomas_the_tank_engine_website.htm Calling all Thomas the Tank Engine fans! Stories, games, and fun.
TINY PLANETS
http://www.tinyplanets.com
Bing and Bong, aliens from the Tiny Planets, offer games related to technology, nature, light and color.
ZIGGITY ZOOM
http://www.ziggityzoom.com
This site offers a variety that will appeal to preschool and younger elementary age children. Online and printable activities are available. In development is an area of “virtual worlds” where children can interact with their favorite characters like pirates and princesses.

Older Kids
CHINOOK
http://web.cs.ualberta.ca/~chinook/
Computer generated Checkers. “A long-term objective of solving the game of checkers, i.e. determining the game-theoretic value of checkers.” This is a very tough game.
CRAZY BONE
http://www.crazybone.com
Have fun with dozens of on-line games, jokes, magic tricks, recipes, tongue twisters and coloring sheets.
DISCOVERY SCHOOL'S PUZZLEMAKER
http://puzzlemaker.school.discovery.com
Puzzlemaker is a fun and easy puzzle generation tool for all ages that allows users to create and print customized word search, crossword and math puzzles using your own word lists.
ENIGMA
http://www.stephen.com/enigma/enigma.html
This is a sliding puzzle site based on a toy of years ago. It offers interesting challenges and is totally addictive.
JOAN IRVINE: THE POP-UP LADY
http://www.makersgallery.com/joanirvine/
Joan Irvine is a Canadian author of children’s craft books. Three of the books have instructions on how to make pop-up cards, a set of pop-up instructions, and a contest. Includes links to other pop-up sites.
OFFICIAL DISNEY WEB SITE
http://www.disney.go.com/home/today/index.html
Movies, animation—everything Disney!
OFFICIAL STAR WARS WEB SITE
http://www.starwars.com/
For Star Wars fans everywhere!
PENTALPHA
http://www.darkfish.com/pentalpha/Pentalpha.html
Solve this challenging puzzle on a very cool board and then let your friends try solving it. More of a puzzle than a game, the rules are a bit arcane. Requires Java/32-bit browsers.
PUZZLE CHOICE.COM
http://www.puzzlechoice.com/pc/Puzzle_Choicex.html
Choose from crosswords, word searches, word play games, logic and number puzzles and more.
SQUIGLY'S PLAYHOUSE
http://www.squiglysplayhouse.com
Look here for games, crafts, jokes, brainteasers and more.
End of List

FREE! FOR KIDS IN SAN FRANCISCO

Animals
Art
History
Music
Science
Storytelling
Walking Trails
SPECIAL PLACE OF THE WEEK

Other Resources:
Kids Adventures Around the Bay by Elina Wong
Inside/Out (Guide to Arts and Arts Education for Children and Teens in San Francisco)
Around San Francisco with Kids by Fodor's

Animals
BUFFALO ENCLOSURE
John F. Kennedy Dr. at Chain of Lakes Dr. East
(western end of Golden Gate Park)
THE RANDALL MUSEUM
199 Museum Way at Roosevelt Way
415-554-9600 http://www.randallmuseum.org/
Tues. – Sat.: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
“Meet the Animals” talk: Saturdays at 11:15 AM
Animal feedings on Saturdays at noon
Model railroad exhibit: Saturdays, 10:00 AM –
4:00 PM
Free admission
SAN FRANCISCO ZOO
Sloat Blvd. at 47th Ave. near the Great Highway
415-753-7080 http://www.sfzoo.org/
Daily: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Children’s Zoo: Daily, 10:00 AM – 4:30 PM
Free admission for all on the 1st Wednesday of each
month and for children 2 and under daily.

Art
CALIFORNIA PALACE OF THE LEGION OF HONOR
34th Avenue at Clement St. (Lincoln Park)
415-863-3330 http://www.famsf.org/
Tues. – Sun.: 9:30 AM – 5:15 PM
Free admission for all on 1st Tuesday and for children
12 and under daily
CARTOON ART MUSEUM
655 Mission St. at Third St.
415-227-8666
http://www.cartoonart.org/
Daily 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM; closed Monday
First Tuesday is “Pay What You Wish Day”; children 5 and under free at all times
THE DE YOUNG MUSEUM
50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive
Golden Gate Park
415-750-3600 http://www.famsf.org/
Tues. – Sun.: 9:30 AM – 5:15 PM; Fridays until 8:45 pm (part of year)
Drop-in workshops: Sat. 10:30 AM – noon; ages 4-12
Free admission for all on 1st Tuesday and for children
12 and under daily; free activities on Friday evenings.
SAN FRANCISCO MUSEUM OF MODERN ART
151 Third Street between Mission and Howard St.
415-357-4000 http://www.sfmoma.org/
Summer Hours (Memorial Day – Labor Day):
Mon.-Tues. & Fri.-Sun.: 11:00 AM – 5:45 PM;
Thurs. 11:00 AM – 8:45 PM; closed Wednesdays
Summer Hours: May 25-September 7: Monday-Tuesday,
Fri.-Sun.: 10:00 AM-5:45 PM; Thurs.: 10:00 AM - 8:45 PM
closed Wednesdays. Free admission for all 1st Tuesday and at all times
for children 12 and under when accompanied by
an adult

History
CABLE CAR BARN AND MUSEUM
1201 Mason St. at Washington St.
415-474-1887 http://www.cablecarmuseum.com/
Daily, Apr. 1 – Sept. 30, 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Oct. 1 – Mar. 31, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM Closed holidays
Free admission
MUSEUM OF THE AFRICAN DIASPORA
685 Mission Street at Third St
415-358-7200 http://www.moadsf.org/
Wed. – Sat.: 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Sun.: Noon – 5:00 PM Closed Mon. & Tues.
Free admission for age 12 and under
SAN FRANCISCO FIRE DEPARTMENT MUSEUM
655 Presidio Ave. (between Bush and Pine)
415-563-4630 http://www.sffiremuseum.org/
Thurs. – Sun.: 1:00 – 4:00 PM
Free admission
SAN FRANCISCO MARITIME NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK
Aquatic Park at Hyde Street Pier
415-447-5000 www.nps.gov/safr/
Hyde Street Pier with Historic Ships and a Vistor Center:
May 25-June 21: 9:30 AM - 5:30 PM;
June 22 - Aug. 12: 9:30 AM -6:30 PM;
Aug. 17 - Sept. 30: 9:30 AM -5:30 PM;
Oct. 1 -May 12: 9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
"Music of the Sea for Kids" program 3rd Saturday of every
month: 300 - 3:45 PM
Free Admision for all on 1st Sunday of month and at all times
for ages 16 and under.
Free admission at all times for age 16 and under
SAN FRANCISCO RAILWAY MUSEUM
77 Steuart Street between Market and Mission
415-974-1948 http://www.streetcar.org/
Wed. – Sun.: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Free admission
WELLS FARGO HISTORY MUSEUM
420 Montgomery St. (at California St.)
415-396-2619
www.wellsfargohistory.com/museums/
Mon – Fri.: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Free admission

Music
Golden Gate Park
MUSIC CONCOURSE BANDSHELL
Free concerts by the Golden Gate Band
Sundays at 1:00 PM April – October
SIGMUND STERN GROVE MUSIC FESTIVAL

http://www.sterngrove.org/2009season.html
June 21 - August 23, 2009
Sundays at 2:00 p.m.
Sigmund Stern Grove, 19th Ave. & Sloat, San Francisco
Admission-Free
WAVE ORGAN
Listen to the waves and wind make music and take in beautiful bay views. Created in 1986, the acoustical art piece is best experienced at high tide. The installation consists of 25 concrete and PVC pipes planted in the water.

Located on a jetty across from the Marina Green, at the end of Yacht Road. The nearest major cross streets are Marina Boulevard and Lyon Street.

Science
CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
Natural History Museum
Steinhart Aquarium
55 Music Concourse Drive
Golden Gate Park
415-379-8000 http://www.calacademy.org/
Mon-Sat: 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Sun: 11:00-5:00PM
Free admission for all 3rd Wednesday of each month and for
children 3 and under daily.
CONSERVATORY OF FLOWERS
John F. Kennedy drive in Golden Gate Park
415-666-7001 http://www.conservatoryofflowers.org/
Tues. – Sun: 10:00 AM – 4:30 PM
Free admission for all on 1st Tuesday and for
children 4 and under daily.
THE EXPLORATORIUM
3601 Lyon St. (between Marina Blvd. and Lombard St.)
in the Palace of Fine Arts
415-561-0360 http://www.exploratorium.edu/
Closed Mondays, except on holidays
Tues. – Sun.: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Free admission for all 1st Wednesday of each month and
for children 3 and under daily
JAPANESE TEA GARDEN
Hagiwara Tea Garden Dr. at Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr.
in Golden Gate Park
415-752-4227 No website
March 1 – October 31 Daily: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
November 1 – February 28 Daily 9:00 AM – 4:45 PM
Free admission for all Mon.,Wed., Fri.: 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
and for children age 5 and under daily

Storytelling
ASIAN ART MUSEUM
200 Larkin Street at Fulton St.
415-581-3500 http://www.asianart.org/
Tues. – Sun.: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM Thurs. 10:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Storytelling every Sunday and first Saturday. Call or check website for schedule and for other program and event information.
Free admission for children 12 and under and for all SFUSD
students with ID
Free admission for all 1st ASunday of each month
STRYBING ARBORETUM
9th Ave. at Lincoln Way (Golden Gate Park)
415-661-1316 http://www.sfbotanicalgarden.org/
Garden: Mon. – Fri.: 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM
Sat., Sun., Holidays, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Children’s Story Time, ages 4 – 8, 1st and 3rd Sundays
10:30 AM – 11:00 AM, followed by docent-led
family garden walk.
Library: Daily: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM, except holidays
Free admission

Walking Trails
CANDLESTICK POINT STATE RECREATION AREA
Hunters Point Expressway (between Gilman Ave.
and Jamestown Ave.)
415-671-0145 (ranger station) http://www.parks.ca.gov/
Hours: 8:00 AM – sunset
Walking paths and fishing piers; free parking except
on football home game days.
CRISSY FIELD
Along the Bay between the Marina and the Golden Gate
Bridge
Crissy Field Center located at 603 Mason at Hallack
415-561-7690 http://www.parksconservancy.org/
Park open 24 hours. Crissy Field Center: daily
9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Free parking and walking paths: check websites for guided walks and family programs.
THE PRESIDIO OF SAN FRANCISCO
Visitor Center located at 50 Moraga
Daily: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
415-561-4323 www.nps.gov/prsf/
Free parking. Hiking trails and free shuttle bus ride
around the park. Call center for information about
scheduled ranger and docent led programs

SUMMER READING LIST

Here's our list of Summer Reading suggestions. Have you read any of these books? Post your comments at the end of this list and we'll respond. (You can click on any title below for more info. about that book) Thanks! Go to end of list.

Young Listeners
Asch, Frank....The Earth and I
Baker, Jeannie....Where the Forest Meets the Sea
Barbara, Pollack....Our Community Garden
Brown, Ruth....The Old Tree
Bunting, Eve....Flower Garden
Child, Lauren*....We Are Extremely Very Good Recyclers
DiSalvo-Ryan, DyAnne....City Green
Fleming, Denise*....Where Once There Was a Wood
Greenstein, Elaine....One Little Seed
Hall, Zoe....Surprise Garden
Jackson, Ellen....Earth Mother
Leedy, Loreen....The Great Trash Bash
Parker, Kim....Counting in the Garden
Ray, Mary Lyn....Welcome, Brown Bird
Rosenbery, Vera....Who Is in the Garden?
Schaefer, Lola....This Is the Rain
Seuss, Dr....The Lorax
Wong, Janet S....The Dumpster Diver
Ward, Helen....Old Shell, New Shell: A Coral Reef Tale
Zimmerman, Andrea....Trashy Town

Fiction & Young Readers (YR)
Adler, David A....Cam Jansen and the Green School Mystery
Arnold, Caroline....Wiggle and Waggle
Cooper, Susan....Green Boy
Coville, Bruce....The Prince of Butterflies
DeFelice, Cynthia....Lostman’s River
DuPrau, Jeanne*....Books of Ember (series)
Falkner, Brian....The Tomorrow Code
Fleischman, Paul...Seedfolks
George, Jean Craighead*.....My Side of the Mountain
Griffin, Adele....Vampire Island
Hautman, Pete & Mary Logue....Skullduggery
Hiassen Carl*....Scat
Koss, Amy Goldman....Kailey
Leonard, Marcia....Tin Can Man
McDonald, Megan....Judy Moody Saves the World!
McKissack, Patricia....Messy Bessey’s Garden
Powell, Jillian....Recycled
Sleator, William....The Beasties
Van Draanen, Wendelin....Sammy Keyes and the Wild Things
Yolen, Jane....Where Have the Unicorns Gone?

Non- Fiction
Appelt, Kathi....Miss Lady Bird’s Wildflowers:
How a First Lady Changed America
Bang, Molly....Common Ground: The Water, Earth and Air We Share
Bang, Molly....Living Sunlight: How Plants Bring the Earth to Life
Bourgeois, Paulette....The Dirt on Dirt
Brenner, Barbara....One Small Place in a Tree
Cherry, Lynne....How We Know What We Know about Our Changing Climate:Scientists and Kids Explore Global Warming
Danks, Fiona....Nature’s Playground: Activities, Crafts, and Games to Encourage Kids to Get Outdoors
David, Laurie & Cambria, Gordon....The Down-to-Earth Guide to Global Warming
DePalma, Mary Newell .....A Grand Old Tree
Fitzgerald, Dawn....Julia Butterfly Hill: Saving the Redwoods
George, Jean Craighead....The Wolves Are Back
Kerley, Barbara....A Cool Drink of Water
Kobasa, Paul A., editor....Living Green
Lasky, Kathryn....John Muir: America’s First Environmentalist
Martin, Laura C....Nature’s Art Box
Monaghan, Kimberly....Organic Crafts: 75 Earth-Friendly Art Activities
Nichols, Judith, editor....The Sun in Me: Poems about the Planet
Nivola, Clarie A....Planting the Trees of Kenya: The Story of Wangari Maathai
Pfeffer, Wendy....Wiggling Worms at Work
Reilly, Kathleen M....Planet Earth: 25 Environmental Projects You Can Build Yourself
Rockwell, Anne....Why Are the Ice Caps Melting?The Dangers of Global Warming

*Look for other books with green themes by this author!
End of List